BGF Leader Denies Involvement in Illegal Online Scam Operations

Colonel Saw Chit Thu, Secretary-General of the Kayin State Border Guard Force, BGF Leader Denies Involvement in Illegal Online Scam Operations.

He clarified that all construction, urban development, and hotel projects in the Shwe Kokko area have been conducted strictly under government approval, with no involvement in illegal online scam operations.

During a media briefing on February 17 at the BGF and KNA Special Security Frontline Camp in Myawady’s Ward 4, Colonel Saw Chit Thu BGF Leader Denies Online Scam activities in Myawady Township, particularly in Shwe Kokko and KK Park.

He stressed that since 2018, all developments in Shwe Kokko have been carried out legally with the approval of the official investment commission. He firmly denied any connection to fraudulent online scam activities, dismissing the allegations as unfounded.

Colonel Saw Chit Thu also highlighted ongoing efforts to apprehend individuals involved in illegal operations and to rescue victims trapped in such schemes. Detainees will be systematically handed over to Thai authorities for further action.

Addressing reports that Thailand’s opposition party is seeking his arrest, he questioned the basis of these claims, asking what crimes he had committed against Thailand or how he had acted against the country. He maintained that he has done nothing wrong in Thailand and described the accusations as one-sided claims from a Thai opposition MP.

Furthermore, he emphasized that strict measures will be enforced against drug trafficking and usage along the Myanmar-Thailand border. He also reaffirmed a zero-tolerance policy toward human trafficking and torture.

The crackdown on illegal scam operations in Myawaddy, Shwe Kokko, and KK Park is being conducted through a coordinated effort involving the Myanmar government, the Kayin State Border Guard Force, and Thai authorities.

As commander of DKBA Battalion 999, he was influential in operations along the Thai-Myanmar border. In 2010, he transitioned the DKBA into the Border Guard Force (BGF) under the Tatmadaw’s command. Beyond his military role, Saw Chit Thu has been involved in various business ventures, notably collaborating with Chinese investors to develop Shwe Kokko, a project criticized for alleged illicit activities.

In December 2023, the UK sanctioned him for alleged involvement in forced labor and human trafficking. Recently, Thai authorities have indicated that Saw Chit Thu and his associates will face arrest if they enter Thailand, citing their involvement in cross-border criminal activities.

Source: Eleven Myanmar